Animated toy



Patented Aug. 12, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMATED TOY `George F. Helgren, Mound, Minn.

Application August 14, 1944, Serial No. 549,385 claims. (o1. i6-(9e) This invention relates to animated toys and particularly to a toy which through revoluble movement of a shaft by wheel traction, or otherwise, a figure may be swingablyreciprocated from side to side, as well as tilted on a longitudinal axis during the operation of the device.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, inexpensive animated toy which is adapted for application to a wide variety of different forms of animated figures and which produces through the inherent structure thereof both a swingable reciprocating and tilting movement of the main figure of the toy.

More specifically it is an object to provide an animated toy of the type described wherein a shaft is revolved by wheel traction effort or otherwise and is associated with simple actuated elements and a figure connected therewith to tilt the figure from side to side, as well as on a longitudinal axis as the shaft is revolved.

With my improved construction a great variety of different effects and simulated animated iigures can be produced by utilization of my improved mechanism.

The foregoing and other objects will be more apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views and in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of my invention, the dotted lines indicating an extreme moved position of the ligure;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is atop plan'view with the pushing handle and body of the figure removed;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a somewhat different embodiment of the invention, the dotted lines indicating the moved position of the figure; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the toy shown in Figure 4.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, I provide a mounting in the form of a carriage supported on a pair of traction wheels 6 which are xed to a horizontal axis shaft 1 The carriage includes a frame consisting in a pair of spaced vertical blocks 8, as shown of segmental shape having their lower portions loosely pivoted on the axle 'l and rigidly connected by transverse dowels or bars 9, as well as by a back piece or block Ill which is sho-wn declined somewhat from the vertical and has an upwardly extending cylindrical socket Illa for accommodating the lower diminished end of a push handle I I provided, as shown,

with a knob or round piece ila at its upper end. An upright actuated block I2 is circularly apertured near its lower end .to loosely surround the axle shaft l, as shown in Figure 2, and is of proper width to be conned between .the two ,spaced connection shafts or dowels 9 of the carriage maintained thereby in substantially upright position. The aperture I2a of the actuated member is of suiiicient diameter to provide for free tilting movement of the block I2 upon axle shaft l, both on a horizontal axis, and an axis extending longitudinally of the block.

Fixed to the axle shaft 'I and spaced apart at their inner ends to confine and actuate the block I2, are a pair of actuating sleeves I3 telescoped over shaft l and having their opposed inner ends complemen-tarily mitered or cut along parallel planes and, as shown in Figure 3, along plane angles extending substantially at 45 to the normal planes dened by the outer ends of'sleeves I3. The mitered inner ends Of the sleeves are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the actuated block I2 and are adapted during revolution of the axle shaft I to move the block in swingable reciprocation, as well as tilting along a longitudinal axis as will be later described;

The upper end of `actuated block I2, as shown, is provided with a cylindrical socket I2b for receiving a depending pin or ,dowel Illa of the animated body of ligure i4.

It will, of course, be understood that various designs of figures simulating human and animal life can be utilized in my toy with various members, arms and other elements attached thereto which may be also actuated by the animation of the body through movement of the block I2. As shown, the cylindrical body movably simulating a clown is employed having horizontal arms Mb projecting therefrom which carry slip rings I5 adapted to move and strike one another during reciprocation of the body. The figure also, as shown, is provided with a short neck dowel I4c having thereon a head 14d which simulates the face of a clown.

In operation, when the carriage is pushed along the floor or any substantial horizontal surface, traction effort is applied to the wheels Ei and the axle shaft is revolved. With shaft 'I the actuating sleeves I3 are revolved and due to the abutting relationship with the parallel side surfaces of the actuated block I2 causes figure I4 to swingably reciprocate transversely of the carriage and to simultaneously oscillate or tilt on an axis longitudinally of the figure I4. The combined tilting movements effected upon the iigure cause the slip rings I5 to slide from abutment with the periphery of the figure to their limited outward movement against enlarged collars I6 disposed at the outer ends of the arms, thereby increasing the animated effect of the toy Yas well as producing a jingle or sound as the rings I5 strike against each other. The speed of the reciprocatingV and oscillating action of the figure may, of course, be varied with the speed of revolution of the axle shaft 'I which in the form of Figures 1 to 3 is, of course, directly proportional to the diameter of the wheel 6 and the speed at which the carriage is pushed over the supporting surface.

In Figures 4 and 5 a somewhat different embodiment of the invention is illustrated comprising a stationary mounting I1 of box-like form mounted as shown on four legs I8 and having journalled in the ends thereof an actuating shaft I9 which has a crank .handle 20 fixed to one of the outer ends thereof. The side walls lI'Ia vof the mounting are spaced apart to confine the upwardly extending actuated block 2| which is similar in all respects to the actuated block I2 of the form first described. The shaft I9 is provided (not shown) with a pair of spaced actuating sleeves of similar construction to the sleeves I3 previously described andsaid block 2| has attached thereto a figure Il! identical in construction with the figure Ill of the form rst described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple, but

interesting animated toy which is capable of wide variance in figure, design and details and which through the revolution of a shaft by tractive effort or otherwise, causes a toy figure to be swung or reciprocated aswell as twisted or oscillated along a longitudinal axis.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is: 1

1. An animated toy comprising, a mounting, a revoluble shaft journaled in said mounting, means for revolving said shaft, an actuated member mounted for oscillation on a verticalr axis and for swinging movement from its lower end and having the latter loosely mounted "upon said shaft and an actuating element connected with said shaft and revoluble therewith and having a terminal surface, bearing against one of the side surfaces of said actuated member and eX- tending outside of a plane normal to the axis of said actuated element. Y Y

2. An animated toy comprising a mounting, a

tersecting vsaid shaft, an actuating element conl nected with said shaft to revolve therewith andv having a terminal surface, bearing against said side surface of said actuated member andgextending outside of a plane normal to said shaft, and abutment means on said mounting for ref straining pivotal movement of said actuated member relatively to said shaft. Y Y

3. An animated toy comprising a mounting, a revoluble Shaftjournaled in said mounting, means for revolving said shaft, an actuated member supported from 'said shaft 'and having a portion thereof loosely surrounding said shaft and having a side surface disposed in a general plane intersecting said shaft, a'n actuating element connected with said shaft to revolve therewith" and having a terminal surface, Vbearing against said side surface of said actuated member and extending at an incline to a plane normal tosaid shaft, abutment means on said mounting for restraining pivotal movement of said actuated member relatively to said shaft, said means for revolving said shaft consisting of a traction wheel fixed to said shaft for driving the same when the device is moved over traction surface.v y

4. An animated toy comprising a mounting, a revoluble shaft journaled in said mounting, means for revolving said shaft, anV actuated member supported on said shaft and having a portion thereof loosely surrounding said shaft and having substantially parallel side surfaces and a pair of actuating elements fixed to said shaft and straddling said actuated member and havingter- Y REFERENCESY oiTED The following references file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATIENTS Number Name Date 1,375,677 CristY Apr. 26, 19,21 1,574,035

Vare of record in the Holtzman -f- Feb. 23, 1926 

